Four state grants bring almost $325,000 in for court programs

Judge: 'We want to change them from trying to beat their charge to trying to beat their addiction. For that, you don't need to put them in jail'

Karen Botakaren.bota@sentinel-standard.com

People served by the court system, and the community at large, will benefit from four grants for almost $325,000, recently awarded to Ionia County from the Michigan Supreme Court, State Court Administrative Office. Funding runs through Sept. 30.The grants are:

Drug court grants will allow for the continuation and improvement of the court-supervised treatment program for non-violent offenders who abuse or are dependent on any controlled substance or alcohol.The veterans court grant will pay for treatment services in Ionia County for veterans involved with the court system, rather than at the VA Medical Center in Battle Creek or Grand Rapids, and also provide local mentors, according to Chief Judge Ray Voet, who administers the Veterans Court."Unlike Sobriety Court or Drug Court, where the treatment provider is at the table with us, we don't have that luxury. We don't get to have dialogue, and that is one of the key elements for success," he said, adding that treatment will include the Seeking Safety program for soldiers who have witnessed trauma, and anger management. "Having a mentor — that fellow brother or sister who's had your similar experiences and has now learned to manage their own demons — is a support network for veterans."The Pretrial Services program is new to Ionia County (and only Kalamazoo and Oakland counties are doing similar programs), and will monitor individuals who are out on bond to ensure they are complying with the conditions of bond to keep citizens safe, Voet said. The program will include a full-time pretrial probation officer and a part-time clerical position, both paid for by the grant."The role will be an awful lot like a (typical) probation officer. They will keep a close eye on people who otherwise might be sitting in jail awaiting trial," said Voet, adding that, for example, blood tests requested by the prosecutor can take six to eight months to come back. "If they violate — test positive or dirty — they'll go back to jail. It's about balancing the goals of treating the individual in the system and public safety."Jail overcrowding has been a "long-standing problem," Voet said, and each time jail occupancy goes up, law enforcement and courts try to manage the population number without "lowering the standards of safety and what is tolerated in our community."When people are out on bond, or have charges pending but can't post bond, and the core of their problems is substance abuse, the Pretrial Services program will allow them to be released into the community on "a very short leash," after they have been screened at the jail to be sure they are suitable for the program: typically that they are non-violent, have a substance abuse problem and don't have a felony record, so they can be safely out in the community and supervised — and sometimes even begin substance abuse treatment.That short leash can include frequent drug testing and alcohol breath tests up to twice a day or secure continuous remote alcohol monitoring (a SCRAM monitor), frequent urine drops, making sure they get substance abuse assessment and follow through with treatment."There's always the presumption of innocence, but we can put restrictions on bond," Voet said. "We want to change them from trying to beat their charge to trying to beat their addiction. For that, you don't need to put them in jail."Voet said the credit for securing the grant goes to Circuit Court Judge Suzanne Hoseth Kreeger, who applied for it."We're fortunate to have been awarded these grants," Kreeger said. "Certainly for Ionia County, these are difficult financial times, and we're trying to be as innovative as we can to get funds to provide services for the people we serve."Ionia County Sheriff Dale Miller also is pleased with the grants awarded."We are supportive of what the courts and their programs are doing," Miller said. "This benefits the community by presenting opportunities and services to people who are incarcerated that allow them to be contributing members of the community when they get out."Follow Karen Bota on Twitter @KarenB_ISS.

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